This is the 10th in a series.

It’s said Americans fight best when they understand why they’re fighting. Restore the Union, Remember the Maine, The war to end all wars – they became battle cries to inspire the military and assure the support at home.

Before any of these, when Thomas Jefferson sat down to draft his declaration, he aimed it as coming from all people, not just the Continental Congress delegates in Philadelphia.

Once the declaration was approved by Congress, the word began to spread.